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Safety in schools reached a new heightened awareness for some schools after the incident at Sandy Hook Elementary School.

Some schools felt the need to reevaluate their procedures in order to make their students feel a sense of protection. They could have made simple changes such as having one more safety drill each year or perhaps larger changes such as having more police officers at their school.

“After Sandy Hook, there has been an increased presence of security guards standing by the main entrance of the school,” says Jordan Kovacs, a senior at Shelton High School. “Our headmaster stands outside the school in the morning to greet us now, and there is just an overall increase in making sure people coming in and out of school are accounted for.”

Schools may have a variety of drills to prepare for unexpected situations. These can range from the basic fire drill to extensive drills for certain medical or lockdown emergencies.

“My school practices fire drills and lockdowns,” says Kelly Burns, a senior at Fairfield Warde High School. “They are the same situation every time, but the students are not told about it.”

With already busy school days, safety drills take up a lot of time out of classes, and some schools may prefer not to have drills during lunch or passing times.

“We have lockdowns and fire drills every month or two months,” says Maggie DeCapua, a junior at Stratford High School. “They are supposed to be monthly, but sometimes things get in the way.”

Some schools could take security more seriously than others. They may have several security guards or even a few police officers to handle any issues.

“We have security guards but after Sandy Hook, there were policemen for a while too,” says Kaeli Prevelige, of Easton, a junior at Joel Barlow High School in Redding.
The main goal of practicing all these drills could be to make the students and staff feel prepared when anything potentially harmful occurs. Schools can try to make students and their parents feel secure about their children attending their school every day with different types of safety procedures.

“We have practiced all types of ‘Code Red Lock Downs’ at all different times of the day, including lunch and passing in the hallway so I feel prepared for an unexpected emergency,” says Gretchen Kuhsel, of Easton, a junior at Joel Barlow High School in Redding.
Even with safety procedures, students can struggle to feel comfortable in their schools. Sandy Hook may have shaken up students and staff. Schools also may get bomb threats frequently causing students to question their school’s safety.

“My school has had a bomb threat and I did not feel safe because the school told us about it but did not do anything about it such as evacuating the building,” says Andrea Pringle, of Bridgeport, a senior at Central Magnet High School.

For some, it seems like safety in schools should be the last of teenagers’ worries with all they have on their plate. However, recent events such as the Sandy Hook shooting may have caused this to change. Drills and awareness on how to act during an emergency can resolve this issue by making students have a greater sense of safety.

Written by Esha Deshmukh, of Milford, a junior at Jonathan Law High School

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Advanced Placement classes seem to be getting more popular over the
years, and it is not hard to see why. Not only do they provide high
school students with a way to get noticed by colleges, they allow them
to explore subject areas more deeply and push themselves.
“I took an AP class because I wanted to challenge myself and I was
eager to see if I could do it,” says Natalie Accardi, a senior at
Stratford High.
AP classes often tend to be taken more by upperclassmen due to their
level of difficulty and time-consuming schedules. To get into an AP
class, teacher recommendations, high grades, and experience in other
classes may be needed also making it harder for underclassmen to take
them. Even if a student is qualified to take an AP class, constraints
such as the number of AP classes a school offers, the number of
teachers available to teach AP, and more can be issues.
“There are some AP classes that require prerequisites, like for AP
Government and Politics, you have to have taken a certain number of
history classes,” says Jordan Kovacs, a senior at Shelton High School.
“In order to get into the class, you need to fill out a form signed
by a current teacher who teaches that subject, and then your guidance
counselor will approve your application or reject it. Most students
get approved as long as class size is not an issue.”
Once a student gets into an AP class, they must deal with the work it
entails. Teens may find it hard to squeeze in the additional time to
deal with these AP classes with sports, afterschool clubs, and more.
“For the most part, the AP workload was harder than my other classes,”
says Natalie Kais, a senior at Fairfield Warde. “In total, I spend
about four hours a night on AP work.”
Some students in the Northeast feel they are at a disadvantage by
schools in the Midwest and other areas starting in August and ending
in May. These students feel they have less time to study the material
before the AP exams in May. Others believe the timing of the school
year in the Northeast is actually a better plan to prepare for the
exams.
“In my point of view, we have less time to forget the material from
the beginning of the year,” says Samantha Beck, a junior at Stratford
High.
AP exams can be intimidating for students, since they can be used for
college credit and can cover a large span of material. Some schools
force students to take AP exams, while some allow their students to
choose.
“I plan to take AP exams, though they are not required by my school,”
says Maggie DeCapua, a junior at Stratford High.
AP classes can make students stand out in their college applications
and provide a challenge for them. Although schools can be selective
about which students take AP classes, teens who make it in may wish to
take the AP exam and allot extra time for their AP classes. For the
hardworking teenager, AP classes are another way for them to display
their talent.

Written by Esha Deshmukh, of Milford, a junior at Jonathan Law High School

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The cold weather isn’t stopping students this winter from going to to
their school dances. Some schools are having dances for the whole
school, but others are limiting it to a single class where only
students in a specific grade can buy tickets.

“The sophomores held a dance for their class this winter. Both boys
and girls in the sophomore class could buy tickets. I wish that it had
been extened to the whole school, it sounded really fun,” says
Gretchen Kuhsel, of Easton, a junior at Joel Barlow High School in
Redding.

Students hoping to go to their school dances need to buy tickets
first. Some schools require students to go through a certain process
before they can be approved to buy tickets. They need to fill out
forms and get permission from their parents to go to their school
dance.

“Anyone who attends Shelton High School can buy tickets to our school dance, ‘Swirl.’ You first have to fill out a contract and then submit it to get signed by the housmaster. Then you get the contract back and then go after school to purchase the ticket,” says Amanda Brighindi, a senior at Shelton High School.

Other schools only allow a certain gender to buy tickets to encourage
students to bring dates.

“For our winter dance, only girls can buy tickets. Tickets need to be
bought months in advance, so they usually go with a friend, a long
term boyfriend, or an ex-boyfriend,” says Brad Payne, a senior at
Staples High School.

Dances are not mandatory, and some students choose to not go to their school dances. On the night of the dance, those students still go out and have a good time as an alternative to going to their dance.

“If I didn’t go I would probably go out to dinner and do something fun
so I wouldn’t feel left out,” says Natalie Kais, a senior at Fairfield
Warde High School.

Although some schools have fairly popular dances, others schools don’t have enough students excited about getting dressed up and asking a special someone to their school dance. Some schools have had to cancel their school dances due to lack of participation.

“My school used to have an all-school winter cotillion, but it always
gets cancelled due to poor ticket sales,” says Maggie DeCapua, a
junior at Stratford High School.

Even though some students don’t want to go to their winter dances,
others are wishing their school had one. Some teenagers wish that
there were more opportunities for them to dance with their dates and
friends.

“Banquet and Prom senior year just isn’t enough,” says Andrea Joy Pringle.

Some school dances restrict what girls wear to their school dances.

Some girls are required to wear long dresses and others are requested
to wear short dresses. No matter the length of the dress, some girls
have a very specific criteria when looking for the perfect dress to
wear to their dance.

“I like to wear dresses with straps that I can match with different
accessories. I don’t like heavy dresses which make it harder to
dance,” says Esha Deshmukh, a junior at Johnathan Law High School.

However, some boys seem to have an easier time choosing what to wear to the event. Some students know that the best way to compliment their date’s look is to wear similar colors.

“I usually try and match my date so we look sharp,” says Charles
Mojcik, a senior at Shelton High School.

Students who are bringing dates to their dances have to courage up the nerve to ask someone to go with. Some teenagers try to find exciting and creative ways to ask their potential date to the dance, hoping that a large gesture will improve their chances of getting a yes.

“You have to come up with a clever and thoughtful way to ask someone to the dance. You have to make your date feel special, like she’s the most important girl in the world,” says Mojcik.

As for other teens, they’re confident that they’ll be going to their
school dance with a date on their arm without having to stress of
having asking someone.

“I’ve never done it, everyone asks me,” Becky Simon, a junior at
Stratford High School.

Written by Jordan Kovacs, a senior at Shelton High School

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Shopping in stores can be seen as either a fun, weekend pastime or an experience that you can’t seem to avoid. Depending on who you ask, some teens prefer the comfort of their bed when browsing around for the latest trends on the web while others like to see the products in store.

“I prefer shopping online,” says Alexander Palc, a junior at Stratford
High School “I think the sales are better there.”

However, Katelyn Murray, a senior at Fairfield Warde, disagrees.
“I prefer shopping in stores because I need to try clothes on before I
buy them.”

Besides comfort and assurance, sales seem to be a major factor in
choosing what method to choose. Some teens are at the point in their
lives where they buy their own clothes so their limit is a bit
smaller.

“It depends how much dough is in my wallet,” says Sophie Ota of
Redding, junior at Joel Barlow High School but usually around $50 per
outing.”

Similarly, Jordan Kovacs, a senior at Shelton High School, tries to
maintain a reasonable budget when she heads to the mall.

“I usually try and buy things on sale. I’m pretty good at finding
clothes that I like and that are affordable.”

Others have more leeway when it comes to looking at the price tags.

Katelyn Murray, a senior at Fairfield Warde says, “My budget is
usually $80-100.”

Those budgets, of course depend on where teens shop and what they’re looking for. The question is, do you follow the trend to the tee or add your own twist?

Plac says, “I prefer vintage items but I will by the latest trends
that appeal to me.”

Other teens, such as Esha Deshmukh, a junior at Jonathan Law High
School, take a different approach when it comes to shopping.

“I like more modern styles and see the new trends in stores.”

The sparkling trends of winter seem to capture many teens’ eyes thanks to the new renovations at local malls. “Trumbull mall recently added ‘homey’ touches making my shopping experience better. They also have a lot more shopping options now.” says Michael Pertoso, a freshman at Shelton High School.

Danica Wens, a junior at Jonathan Law High School agrees.

“I think it is a good investment for malls to make.”
The construction on malls throughout Connecticut is the perfect way to display the trends that teens are loving this season.

“Currently I’m really into funky patterns, thick wool scarves and
layers.” says Andrea Joy Pringle, a senior at Central Magnet High
School.

Some teens, such as Carrie Twersky of Easton, a junior at Joel Barlow
High School, are already looking forward to spring fashions.

“I like mixing hard and soft, like studs and flower print.”

Teens across Connecticut are rolling in to different seasons and
trying to find their way through fashion trends. Whether they find a
shirt they’ve been fawning over online or feeling the light fabrics of
spring featured in the fresh, new malls, teens are embracing shopping
in their own ways.

Written by Gretchen Kuhsel of Easton, a junior at Joel Barlow High
School in Redding.

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My family sits at the table, huddled together in the darkness. My mother lights at least fifteen tea lights, while I roll my eyes at the fourth day of cold leftovers. Even with the tea lights, the room remains dim, and I poke at my hard bits of white rice blindly.

My eleven year-old brother grumbles for the fiftieth time about how freezing the house has been since the hurricane hit.

Hurricane Sandy ravaged through Milford four days ago, causing us to lose power and my brother and I to feel absolutely miserable. Milford appeared on the disaster list and school remained canceled for five days. Now, we felt we were going to die of boredom at home.

“I feel like I live in the 1800’s; this torture never ends!” I exclaim, exasperated with the never-ending day.

“Esha, there is nothing I can do. Just stop making a big deal out of everything and eat your food,” my father scolds me.

“Since I can’t watch TV, can’t go on the Internet, can’t text on my cellphone, and can’t call anyone, I can’t do anything all day,” I complain, experiencing symptoms of withdrawal.

My dinner half-finished, I slide my chair in and face my father grumpily.

“You know what, I am going to bed now because I can’t deal with this dinner anymore,” I tell my father with clear attitude present in my voice.

The next morning, I groggily take my breakfast and use up the last bit of charge on my iPod, when I hear the doorbell ring. When I open the door, my aunt stands outside and asks if I want Dunkin Donuts. I instantly hop into her car, excited to get out of the house.

“Before we head to Dunkin Donuts, is it okay if we take a little ride around Milford to observe the damage?” my aunt asks.

“Sure, I don’t mind,” I answer, not knowing what to expect.

We head through a narrow road with many woods, and I suddenly notice a house on my left. I roll my window down in astonishment.

A large oak tree tears the house in two, as if a chainsaw has been hastily run through it. Large branches lay in clusters creating a menacing forest around the house. The house looks as if it sits in a war zone with ripped sidings, a battered roof, and the yard destroyed. I catch my breath and try to look away from the shattered house, unable to think straight.

“Wow, can you believe what happened to this house? We need to check out the beach areas,” my aunt says, with a tone of concern in her voice.

Feeling a catch in my throat, I am fearful of viewing the damage in the beach area, but I do not protest against my aunt.

We coast down a few roads until the beach area arrives. The car cannot plough through these areas, so my aunt and I walk unsteadily on the street.

The waves crash rapidly all the way up to the sidewalks, a stormy gray covering the streets. The mist from the salty ocean burns my eyes. I start to shiver from the ocean breeze and feel as if I am standing underneath the Niagara Falls. The waves manage to throw the sand on the beach so high that it covers the legs of benches. Sewage covers the street, causing my nose to wrinkle up in disgust. As I trudge through the mess, the seagulls even seem to give me confused glances about what happened to their home.

Then, I face the beach houses and instantly cower in pain. They stare at me helpless, resting on only a few screws. Doors, windows, porches, and more are nowhere to be found. The houses seem deserted, probably due to mandatory evacuations. The beach area represents a ghost town.

I accidentally kick an abandoned kid’s toy across the street, and my stomach churns with distress. How could I be so selfish? Here I am, complaining about losing power for a few days when people have flooded basements, no doors or windows, wrecked bedrooms, and possibly no place to call home! The events from yesterday night flash before my eyes clear as day: the way I insulted my father, treated my food, and stalked off to bed. A pang of shame and regret travels through my body.

My aunt and I do not need to communicate to know we both saw enough. We enter the car without a word, and my aunt weakly turns her keys in the ignition. I put my head in my hands and exhale a deep sigh, tears preparing to fall out of my eyes.

Suddenly, something in my jacket vibrates, and I realize my mother is calling me.

“Hi mom, what’s up,” I ask, trying to disguise the hurt in my voice.

“Esha, I have amazing news; we got our power back! Now you can watch TV, text, or do whatever you teenagers have been dying to do,” my mom says sarcastically.

“Oh yay,” I murmur meekly.

“Well, enjoy honey. I have to get back to work now,” my mother says.

I hang up, without emotion. I do not even inform my aunt about the call, caring less about whether or not I have power.

Instead, I glance back at the beach and try to remember this moment.

Written by Esha Deshmukh, a junior at Jonathan Law High School in Milford.